Rockets vs. Trail Blazers: 3 things you need to know

EAST
(1) IND vs. (8) ATL | (2) MIA vs. (7) CHA
(3) TOR vs. (6) BKN | (4) CHI vs. (5) WAS
WEST
(1) SAS vs. (8) DAL | (2) OKC vs. (7) MEM
(3) LAC vs. (6) GSW | (4) HOU vs. (5) POR

The first playoff matchup that was determined is also one of the most promising on paper from an entertainment standpoint, as two of the league's elite offenses square off when the Houston Rockets take on the Portland Trail Blazers. This is the closest the league will ever come to consistently replicating scores from the 1960s, when 120 points were the norm, not the exception.

The Rockets host the Blazers on Sunday to open up the seven-game series. Here are the three things you need to know:

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This series is tougher to predict than any other, and the reason why can be found 23 feet and nine inches from the basket. Three-point shots are the highest-variance looks on the basketball court, and so pairing up two teams who shoot a boatload of them is sure to produce plenty of hot and cold runs.

The 2013-14 Rockets attempted 2,179 3-point field goals, the sixth most in the history of the league. Portland, meanwhile, attempted "only" 2,071, the 15th-highest total ever. They ranked 10th and 14th, respectively, in all-time makes for a team.

What's more, Houston isn't particularly adept at preventing teams from shooting threes, allowing the sixth highest amount in the league this year. Teams have been shown to be able to exert an influence on how many threes an opponent takes far more than how many they make, and so it appears Portland is free to shoot. The Blazers, meanwhile, did an excellent job chasing teams off the line but allowed 101 attempts in four games against Houston this year, three of which the Rockets won.

Does "clutch" exist?

If you're a believer that certain players can exhibit an ability to rise to the occasion, you're surely a fan of Damian Lillard, the sophomore point guard for the Blazers. 

The Blazers played in 46 games that the NBA deemed to have entered a "clutch" situation (ahead or behind five points or fewer in the final five minutes of the game), and in those situations Lillard averaged 3.2 points in just 4.1 minutes. He shot 47.3 percent overall, 44.2 percent from long range, and 86 percent at the line. If there's such a thing as clutch, Lillard is it.

The Rockets, however, were equally impressive in those situations, outscoring opponents by 16.4 points per 100 possessions. Perhaps more importantly for Lillard and the Blazers, Houston had the sixth-best defensive rating in those situations, so if anyone's going to give Lillard a test, it's Patrick Beverley and the Rockets.

Who can handle Harden?

Because the MVP discussion has centered around LeBron James and Kevin Durant, and because he can't play a lick of defense, it's easy to forget just how amazing an offensive talent James Harden is. Harden ranked fifth in the league with 25.4 points per game, was 14th in player efficiency rating with a mark of 23.5, and grades out as the league's fourth-best offensive player in ESPN's new Real Plus-Minus statistic.

All the while, Portland is a middle-of-the-pack defensive unit, albeit one with a handful of capable wing defenders, specifically Nicolas Batum.

But the Blazers had no way of stopping Harden in their four meetings this year. Per NBA.com, Harden shot 6-of-9 for 23 points in just 10 minutes with Batum as the primary defender and 11-of-19 for 35 points in 30 minutes against Wesley Matthews. Someone will have to step up and keep Harden away from the rim and off of the free-throw line, or all the threes in the world aren't going to matter.

Schedule